PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Vladimir Tomcic (ranked 1101 p4p, 277 weight class) and Balagot Liu (ranked 126 p4p, 39 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Tomcic
vs
Liu

173 cm
26
156
14 - 7 - 0

173 cm
26
146
13 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Conviction
Voodoo Nutrition

Voodoo Nutrition
SynCity Fightwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Vladimir Tomcic!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Balagot Liu!
The judges for this bout are Percy O'Donnell, Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Liu throws a jab but it's blocked by Tomcic.
Liu throws a nice outside leg kick.
Tomcic tries a head kick but it misses.
The fighters circle momentarily. Liu darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Liu throws a hook but Tomcic blocks it.
Liu misses with a left hand

and Tomcic holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Tomcic misses with a punch to the body.

Liu breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Tomcic seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Tomcic tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Liu counters with a straight right hand.
Nice body punch from Liu.
Liu scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Liu throws a hook but Tomcic blocks it.
Tomcic looks for a takedown but Liu sprawls well.
Liu looks to throw the jab but Tomcic is out of range.
Liu throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Tomcic on the side of the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Good leg kick by Liu.
Both fighters circling a little - Liu finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Tomcic lands an overhand right.
Tomcic misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Liu bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Liu has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
A telegraphed right hand from Tomcic misses the target.
Liu looks like he wants to counter punch here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tomcic throws out a loose jab but Liu uses good head movement to avoid it.
Liu pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Tomcic back to the cage. Liu follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Tomcic avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Tomcic clinches up with Liu and pushes him back against the cage.
Tomcic misses with some punches.
A frustrated look appears on Liu's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Liu pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Tomcic fails with a takedown attempt.
Liu lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Liu thows a body kick. Tomcic tries to catch it but that hurt him.
A head kick misses from Tomcic.
Tomcic misses with a hook to the body
and Liu counters with a one-two to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tomcic steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Liu.
Liu scores with a crisp jab that stopped Tomcic in his tracks.
Tomcic throws a lazy head kick
and Liu counters with a straight right hand.
Liu lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Liu lands a head shot.
Liu fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Tomcic on the side of the head.
Liu throws a jab but it's blocked by Tomcic.
Tomcic misses with a low kick.
Tomcic misses with a low kick as Liu jumps back.
Liu works Tomcic's body with a nice hook.
Tomcic throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Liu throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Liu bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Tomcic lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Liu at a distance.
Liu uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Tomcic has time to react.
Liu lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Liu ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Liu avoids the head kick by Tomcic.
Liu keeps the fight on the outside.
Liu keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Tomcic.
Liu connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Tomcic fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Liu checks it well.
Tomcic moves into range and connects with a jab.
Liu on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Tomcic. Tomcic obviously looking to wear him down.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liu slaps away a takedown attempt from Tomcic, before circling back to the center of the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vladimir Tomcic. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Liu fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Tomcic on the side of the head.
Tomcic takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Tomcic tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Balagot Liu is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A cross from Liu lands.
Liu scores with the left hand. Tomcic knows he should have avoided that one.
Tomcic takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Liu keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Liu lands a glancing blow to the side of Tomcic's head.
Tomcic scores with a sloppy right hand. Liu should have avoided that one.
Tomcic is looking to land body kicks.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Liu works the jab nicely.
Tomcic takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Liu lands with a right hand.
Nice uppercut lands for Liu. That snapped Tomcic's head back.
Tomcic slips a jab and a cross from Liu.
Liu swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Tomcic changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
A combination from Liu does no damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tomcic avoids a kick to the body.
Liu with the inside leg kick.
Tomcic moves away from the strike by Liu.
Liu throws a nice head kick!
Tomcic moves away from the strike by Liu.
Liu lands a two punch combo.
Liu dips to his left and cracks Tomcic with an uppercut!

Tomcic moves into range and clinches up with Liu.
Liu throws a head punch that misses.
Tomcic goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Liu working aggressively here.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Tomcic.

Liu breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Liu looks to land a left hand but Tomcic moved out of range nicely.
Liu connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Tomcic momentarily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Liu jabs Tomcic right on the nose. Tomcic blinks but takes it well.
Good leg kick by Tomcic.
Tomcic's jab looks to have found its range, popping Liu under the eye.
Liu throws a body shot but no joy.
A punch lands to the side of Tomcic 's head but he takes it in his stride.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Balagot Liu dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Liu scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Balagot Liu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Liu looks to throw the jab but Tomcic is out of range.
Liu scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Tomcic tries to clinch but Liu moves out of range.
Tomcic tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Liu paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Liu checks a low kick from Tomcic.
Tomcic steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Liu.
Tomcic misses with a jab, cross combination.
Tomcic keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Tomcic ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Liu pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Liu blocks a head kick by Tomcic.
Tomcic throws a head kick but Liu moves out of range.
It seemed like Liu was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Liu scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Tomcic doesn't seem bothered though.
Liu slaps away a takedown attempt from Tomcic, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Balagot Liu seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Liu paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Tomcic tries to clinch but Liu moves away
and Liu counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tomcic throws a chopping leg kick but Liu manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
A countering left hand to the body from Liu misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Liu scores with a nice right hand.
Liu lands a nice shot that snaps Tomcic's head back.
Tomcic wants to clinch.

Tomcic looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Tomcic not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Liu is trying to stand back up but Tomcic is controlling him
Liu really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Tomcic. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Tomcic is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Liu sees it coming and defends easily.

Tomcic wants to work for an arm triangle but Liu is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tomcic scoring with strikes to the body and head.

Tomcic is working for a kimura but Liu is defending it quite comfortably.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Liu keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Balagot Liu is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Tomcic missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liu blocking the ground and pound attempt from Tomcic.
Tomcic misses with a head shot. Liu uses the momentum to regain guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Tomcic accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Tomcic wants to pass the guard but Liu is keeping the position.

Tomcic drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Liu manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Tomcic has Liu in his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tomcic is trying to keep Liu in close.

Tomcic looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Tomcic wants to sweep but no luck.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Tomcic looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Tomcic is trying to control the position from the bottom.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Balagot Liu showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Tomcic moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Liu lands with a good body shot.
Tomcic wants to clinch.
Tomcic throws a nice head kick!
Tomcic uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Liu.
Liu scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Liu thows a left - swing and a miss!
Nice shot by Liu.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Liu blocks a head kick by Tomcic.
Liu scores with a three punch combo!
Liu scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Liu throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Tomcic doesn't manage to clinch there - Liu circles away.
Tomcic takes a jab right on the kisser.
Liu throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Tomcic sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A little feinted left hand from Tomcic on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tomcic tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Liu paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Liu throws an overhand right that lands on Tomcic's shoulder, as Tomcic tries to avoid the shot.
Tomcic appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Liu avoids a punch combination nicely.
The crowd cheers as Liu lands an impressive looking overhand right. Tomcic doesn't seem phased though.
Tomcic takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Tomcic tries a head kick but it misses.
Liu keeps the fight on the outside.
Liu scores with a hook to the body. Tomcic takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Tomcic throws a head kick but Liu moves out of range.
Liu buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Tomcic misses with a head kick.
Liu avoids the body shot from Tomcic.
Tomcic takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Liu has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Liu bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Liu scores with a leg kick.
Tomcic tries to clinch up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Liu thuds a left hand into Tomcic's body.
Liu misses with a double jab.
Tomcic moves out of range of the strikes.
Tomcic throwing a counter right hand but Liu manages to avoid it.
Vladimir Tomcic has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A jab from Liu does it's job there.
Tomcic misses with a hook.
Liu was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Tomcic ducks under a wild hook from Liu.
Liu sizes up Tomcic with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Tomcic misses with a looping left.
Liu lands with a kick to the ribs.
Tomcic looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Tomcic slips a jab from Liu.
Liu is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Tomcic.
Tomcic throws an off balance right hand
and Liu counters with a stiff right hand.
A good leg kick by Liu.
Tomcic needs to keep his hands up - Liu had a free shot at his head there.
Liu dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Tomcic. That did some damage!
Liu throws a jab when Tomcic was well out of range.
Liu scores with a jab to the head.
Tomcic is looking to clinch but Liu is avoiding it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liu slips a jab and a cross from Tomcic.
Tomcic will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Liu bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Liu feints and then cracks Tomcic's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Tomcic down.
Tomcic is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.

Tomcic drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Liu pushes Tomcic away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Tomcic gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

Tomcic looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Tomcic creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Liu sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Liu pushes Tomcic away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Tomcic gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tomcic wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Liu, who protects the arm well.
Tomcic in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.

Tomcic is trying to get an arm triangle but Liu is defending well.
Tomcic prevents Liu from escaping the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Balagot Liu comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Liu winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Balagot Liu!
Our winner, Balagot Liu, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.